Origins

Indus River Valley

Where?

What modern day countries make up where the Indus River Valley civilization once thrived?

About 4000 years ago

When?

Origins How? Hinduism was the religion of an ancient people known as the Aryans whose philosophy, religion, and customs are recorded in their sacred texts. Hinduism is unique among the world religions in that it has no founder or specific date of origin. While most major religions derive from new ideas taught by a charismatic leader, Hinduism is simply the religion of the people of India, which has gradually developed over four thousand years.

Make an Inference:Were there other religions before Hinduism? Explain your answer.

Who?It is widely believed that there is no one founder of Hinduism.

VishnuThe Preserver

brahmaThe Creator

Shiva The Destroyer

Hindus believe in one single spiritual power called brahman, which lives in everything. Brahman is unchanging and infinite.

GodsThe most important Hindu gods are Brahma, the Creator; Vishnu, the Preserver; and Shiva, the Destroyer

Is Hinduism monotheistic or polytheistic? Justify your answer.

Brahma is not worshipped in the same way as other gods, because he has done his task and will not come into his own again until the next creation of the world.

Brahma originally had five heads, which he acquired when he fell in love with Saraswati. He used his heads to see her wherever she moved – left, right, backward, forward, and above him. Shiva destroyed Brahma's fifth head. Now he has four.

Shiva is everything and appears in many different forms. He has over 1,000 names, such as Maheshvara, the Lord of Knowledge, and Mahakala, the Lord of Time. He is creator, destroyer, and preserver, and is often depicted with three faces: two opposites, such as male and female, great yogi and diligent householder, or Bhairava the destroyer and the giver of rest.

Fire is associated with the god Shiva, who is often depicted holding a flame in one of his four hands, emphasizing his destructive nature.

Vishnu, known as the “Pervader” or perhaps “the One who takes many forms” was not prominent in the Vedas but became a major deity and a member of the Hindu Trinity.

Vishnu's preserving, restoring and protecting powers have been manifested in the world in a series of ten earthly incarnations, known as avatars. The avatars arrive either to prevent evil or to effect good upon the earth.

Beliefs

Dharma Dharma is the code of behavior. According to Hindus, dharma is a stage in life in which one must fulfill their moral, social and religious duties.

Ahimsa Another important idea of Hinduism is ahimsa, or nonviolence. To Hindus, people and living things are part of brahman and therefore must be treated with respect. For that reason, many Hindus do not eat meat and try to avoid harming living things.

Ghandi is known for his non-violent lifestyle

Beliefs

4 stages in life:1. brahmacharga- school years (grow and learn)

2. grhastha- marriage (family and career)3. vanaprastha- turn attention to spiritual things

4. sanrgasu- abandon world to seek spiritual things

4 purposes in life:1. dharma – fulfill moral, social and religious duties

2. artha- attain financial and worldly success

3. kama- satisfy desires and drives in moderation

4. moksha-attain freedom from reincarnation

BeliefskarmaAccording to Hindu belief, the actions of a person in this life affect his or her fate in the next. Good behavior is always rewarded. Bad behavior is always punished. Faithful followers of Hinduism will be reborn into a higher position. Those who acts have been bad may be born into a lower caste, or may even return as animals. If a person leads a perfect life, he or she may be freed from this cycle of death and rebirth. As a result, the person’s soul becomes one with brahman.

Reincarnation (Samsara)Long ages ago, human beings first asked themselves, why are some people born in happy circumstances, whereas others are born to suffer all their lives? The events of this present life are not enough to account for such suffering. To reasonably explain an excess of suffering or of enjoyment in this life, it was assumed that we all have had previous existences, and that we are now reaping the results of those previous actions. It must also be true then that we can take charge of our destiny right now. We can create a better tomorrow by resolving do better actions today. However, as long as desires remain in the mind, the tendency toward rebirth will exist.

Do you believe in Karma? Explain your answer.

Beliefs Moksha The ultimate goal of all Hindus is release (moksha) from the cycle of rebirth (samsara).

“Heaven is a place of mental and sensu-al enjoyment. The enjoyments in heav-en are more intense, subtle and refined. But they cannot give everlasting peace and real eternal bliss. They wear out the senses. A wise man with discrimination and dispassion will never crave for the enjoyments of heaven. He will never dream to have an abode in heaven. There is jealousy; there is Raga-Dvesha (likes and dislikes) in heaven. Demons fight with gods. Real, thirsty aspirants should ruthlessly ignore heaven. They should yearn for the final emancipation, or Moksha. “ Sri Swami Sivananda

The yogasKarma Yoga - For those of active temperament, striving to eliminate selfishness, and to cultivate universal sympathy by seeing the divine reality of it all

Bhakti Yoga - the path of devotion to God whose presence can be felt in all things. God can be worshipped as present in an image in a temple. God can be worshipped also as present in suffering humanity by service.

Jnana Yoga - The discipline of trying to see the divine reality within all things directly, by mentally brushing aside all obstructing physical and mental covering that hide it. Raja Yoga - the process of mental control, purity, and meditation to make the mind very calm and quiet. In that profound quiet, the inner divine light reveals itself.

How is moksha similar to nirvana?

The VedasThe fundamental teachings of Hinduism, which form the foundation of all its different sects, are contained in the concluding portion of the Vedas. The Vedas date back to almost 4,000 years ago and is Sanskrit for “knowledge.” Bards, or scholars, who first recited the Vedas were called “rishis.” They were inspired seers who were said to have received the direct word from Brahman.

The upanishadsWoven into the Vedas are different kinds of philosophical discussions. Most significant are The Upanishads, a collection of stories, or parables. The Upanishads focus on spiritual insight and philosophical teaching. Upanishad literally means “sitting near a teacher.” Much of the Upanishads is in the form of questions by pupils and responses by teachers.

Write a dialogue between a Hindu teacher and student.

Sacred texts

Sacred texts

Sacred texts

The Mahabharata “The Mahabharata” is a sacred epic poem dealing in many episodes with the struggle between two rival families. It is comprised of 700 verses. The most popular text within “The Mahabharata” is the “Bhagavad Gita” or “Song of the Lord.”

The “Bhagavad Gita” takes the form of a dialogue between the god Krishna and the Indian hero Arjuna on the battlefield before the start of the Kurukshetra War. The Gita is often described as a concise guide to Hindu philosophy and also as a practical, self-contained guide to life.

Write a poem about the Aum.

AumThe Aum is a mystical or sacred syllable in Hinduism. It is often referred to in threes: - Three worlds: earth, atmosphere, and heaven - Three major Hindu gods: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva - Three sacred Vedic scriptures

The Aum is the essence of the entire universe. It is placed at the beginning of most Hindu texts as a sacred exclamation to be uttered at the beginning and end of a reading of the Vedas. The Mandukya Upanishad is entirely devoted to the explanation of the syllable.

The syllable Aum is first described as all-encompassing mystical entity in the Upanishads. Today, in all Hindu art and all over India and Nepal, 'Aum' can be seen virtually everywhere, a common sign for Hinduism and its philosophy and theology.

The caste system

What are some unofficial caste systems that you know of?

BRAHMINS : priests and teachers

KSHATRIYAS : rulers and soldiers

VAISHYAS : merchants

SHUDRAS : workers

In ancient India there was a developed social system in which people were divided into separate close communities called castes.

In Hinduism there exists four castes arranged in a hierarchy. Anyone who does not belong to one of these castes is an outcast. The religious word for caste is 'Varna'. Each Varna has certain duties and rights.

Each caste member has to work in a certain occupation which only that caste group is allowed.

Below these castes are the outcasts who are untouchable to the four castes. These untouchables work in degrading jobs like cleaning, sewage etc.